Wanderer-In-Training: Shades of Autumn

#nofilter

Welcome to fall in Kyushu! I apologize to my readers at the loss of pertinence of this topic. It is far past fall. The fall season felt like time doubled, tripled, quadrupled, and then snapped back on itself, and BAM it was winter. I enjoyed this long autumn though, especially with the exceptional fall colors and sunny weather.

My friend Lu planned an afternoon trip to a famous place in a neighboring city, Kanzaki, where the Kunenan gardens and grounds are very famous for their fall color. Since the changing of the leaves is such a variable thing depending on the recent weather, it's kind of hit-or-miss when you try to plan a festival around it. However, we totally lucked-out. We went in absolute perfect time.

I basically lost it when I saw my first Japanese maple ablaze in it's fiery autumn color. My friends will tell you the same: I was on cloud-nine.

In one day, I saw the most colorful forest I could have ever imagined. And even after we returned to Saga, we went to yet another park. So far, one of my favorite memories of Japan. Definitely one of the most vivid.

Almost on our way to Kunenan, after a melon Fanta exploded all over Fiona's lunch and while everyone else offered napkins, I took pictures.

The much-cooler-than-Saga Station: Kanzaki Station.

From left to right: Cindy (Taiwan), Lu (China), and Alexis (France) biding the time while waiting for the bus.

Cindy posing with the Kunenan mascots. Adorable.

My first glimpse of a Japanese maple and I went nuts. I was told not to fret (by Lu), "there was SO much more to come."

I still get a major kick out of seeing timber bamboo groves.

"I see maples, I see maples!! Mayday, mayday!!"

Oh yes.

A hillside of lapsing shades

It was like a color potluck. Each tree brought their favorite color and together it was a feast of color.

Entering the main garden

The rainbow surrounding the pond

I love how you can see where the sunlight hits the strongest from the intensity of the red.

An absolutely giant tree in front of the shrine

Only in Kyushu could a banana grow...

The gate of the shrine

Fortunes

Climbing a steep set of steps to reach the top

And OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS we were rewarded. This beauty took the cake as my favorite tree of the day. Absolutely golden orange and its form was just gracefully divine.

Aha! Found another set of steps, so naturally, let's see what's at the top!

A grave (it seems)

The other side of that stunning golden maple. I couldn't believe my own eyes.

I admit I laughed.

Buying omikuji- fortunes and deciphering the meaning

I finally got them to go with me to who knows where.

"Who knows where" also turns out to have beautiful maples (like I thought, heehee)

And a mysterious path leading into the green forest. Naturally, I started up the trail first!

While I was busy admiring the ferns and slender Japanese cedars, my friends decided that they weren't up for trekking up another mountain, and we turned back.

I found an acorn!

Lu and Alexis' matcha and accompanying sweets.

If I could pick a picture from that day to forever stick in my mind, this is it. Just as it was, colors more brilliant than the sun itself and the long rays saturating every surface it touched.